[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1326 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1326

To amend certain maritime programs of the Department of Transportation, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 13, 2015

 Mrs. Fischer introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend certain maritime programs of the Department of Transportation, 
                        and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Maritime Administration Enhancement 
Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. CADET COMMITMENT AGREEMENTS.

    Section 51306(a) of title 46, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 
        ``must'' and inserting ``shall'';
            (2) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:
            ``(2) obtain a merchant mariner license, unlimited as to 
        horsepower or tonnage, issued by the United States Coast Guard 
        as an officer in the merchant marine of the United States, 
        accompanied by the appropriate national and international 
        endorsements and certifications required by the Coast Guard for 
        service aboard vessels on domestic and international voyages, 
        without limitation, before graduation from the Academy;'';
            (3) by amending paragraph (3) to read as follows:
            ``(3) for at least 6 years after graduation from the 
        Academy, maintain--
                    ``(A) a valid merchant mariner license, unlimited 
                as to horsepower or tonnage, issued by the United 
                States Coast Guard as an officer in the merchant marine 
                of the United States, accompanied by the appropriate 
                national and international endorsements and 
                certifications required by the Coast Guard for service 
                aboard vessels on domestic and international voyages, 
                without limitation;
                    ``(B) a valid transportation worker identification 
                credential; and
                    ``(C) a United States Coast Guard medical 
                certificate;''; and
            (4) by amending paragraph (4) to read as follows:
            ``(4) apply for, and accept if tendered, an appointment as 
        a commissioned officer in the Navy Reserve (including the 
        Strategic Sealift Officer Program, Navy Reserve), the Coast 
        Guard Reserve, or any other reserve component of an armed force 
        of the United States, and, if tendered the appointment, to 
        serve, meet the participation requirements, and maintain active 
        status in good standing, as determined by the program manager 
        of the appropriate military service, for at least 8 years after 
        the date of commissioning;''.

SEC. 3. STUDENT INCENTIVE PAYMENT AGREEMENTS.

    Section 51509 of title 46, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) by inserting ``(3) Authorized uses.--'' before 
                the last sentence and indenting accordingly;
                    (B) in the matter preceding paragraph (3), by 
                striking ``Payments'' and inserting ``(1) In general.--
                Except as provided in paragraph (2), payments'' and 
                indenting accordingly; and
                    (C) by inserting after paragraph (1), the 
                following:
            ``(2) Exception.--The Secretary may modify the payments 
        made to an individual under paragraph (1), but the total amount 
        of payments to that individual may not exceed $32,000.'';
            (2) in subsection (c), by striking ``Merchant Marine 
        Reserve'' and inserting ``Strategic Sealift Officer Program'';
            (3) in subsection (d)--
                    (A) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:
            ``(2) obtain a merchant mariner license, without limitation 
        as to tonnage or horsepower, from the United States Coast Guard 
        as an officer in the merchant marine of the United States, 
        accompanied by the appropriate national and international 
        endorsements and certification required by the Coast Guard for 
        service aboard vessels on domestic and international voyages, 
        without limitation, within three months of completion of the 
        course of instruction at the academy the individual is 
        attending;'';
                    (B) by amending paragraph (3) to read as follows:
            ``(3) for at least 6 years after graduation from the 
        academy, maintain--
                    ``(A) a valid merchant mariner license, unlimited 
                as to horsepower or tonnage, issued by the United 
                States Coast Guard as an officer in the merchant marine 
                of the United States, accompanied by the appropriate 
                national and international endorsements and 
                certifications required by the Coast Guard for service 
                aboard vessels on domestic and international voyages, 
                without limitation;
                    ``(B) a valid transportation worker identification 
                credential; and
                    ``(C) a United States Coast Guard medical 
                certificate;'' and
                    (C) by amending paragraph (4) to read as follows:
            ``(4) apply for, and accept, if tendered, an appointment as 
        a commissioned officer in the Navy Reserve (including the 
        Strategic Sealift Officer Program, Navy Reserve), the Coast 
        Guard Reserve, or any other reserve component of an armed force 
        of the United States, and, if tendered the appointment, to 
        serve and meet the participation requirements and to maintain 
        active status in good standing, as determined by the program 
        manager of the appropriate military service, for at least 8 
        years after the date of commissioning;'';
            (4) by amending subsection (e)(1) to read as follows:
            ``(1) Active duty.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary of Defense may 
                order an individual to serve on active duty in the 
                armed forces of the United States for a period of not 
                more than 2 years if--
                            ``(i) the individual has attended an 
                        academy under this section for more than 2 
                        academic years, but less than 3 academic years;
                            ``(ii) the individual has accepted the 
                        payments described in subsection (b) in an 
                        amount totaling at least $8,000; and
                            ``(iii) the Secretary of Transportation has 
                        determined that the individual has failed to 
                        fulfill the part of the agreement described in 
                        subsection (d)(1).
                    ``(B) 3 or more years.--The Secretary of Defense 
                may order an individual to serve on active duty in the 
                armed forces of the United States for a period of not 
                more than 3 years if--
                            ``(i) the individual has attended an 
                        academy under this section for 3 or more 
                        academic years;
                            ``(ii) the individual has accepted the 
                        payments described in subsection (b) in an 
                        amount totaling at least $16,000; and
                            ``(iii) the Secretary of Transportation has 
                        determined that the individual has failed to 
                        fulfill the part of the agreement described in 
                        subsection (d)(1).
                    ``(C) Hardship waiver.--In cases of hardship as 
                determined by the Secretary of Transportation, the 
                Secretary of Transportation may waive this paragraph in 
                whole or in part.''; and
            (5) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(h) Alternative Service.--
            ``(1) Service as commissioned officer.--An individual who, 
        for the 5-year period following graduation from an academy, 
        serves as a commissioned officer on active duty in an armed 
        force of the United States or as a commissioned officer of the 
        National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or the Public 
        Health Service shall be excused from the requirements of 
        paragraphs (3) through (5) of subsection (d).
            ``(2) Modification or waiver.--The Secretary may modify or 
        waive any of the terms and conditions set forth in subsection 
        (d) through the imposition of alternative service 
        requirements.''.

SEC. 4. FEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT TAX ACT.

    Section 3305 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 3305) 
is amended by striking ``Secretary of Commerce'' each place it appears 
and inserting ``Secretary of Transportation''.

SEC. 5. SHORT SEA TRANSPORTATION DEFINED.

    Paragraph (1) of section 55605 of title 46, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``or'';
            (2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(C) shipped in discrete units or packages that 
                are handled individually, palletized, or unitized for 
                purposes of transportation; or
                    ``(D) freight vehicles carried aboard commuter 
                ferry boats; and''.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR NATIONAL SECURITY ASPECTS 
              OF THE MERCHANT MARINE FOR FISCAL YEARS 2016 AND 2017.

    (a) Fiscal Year 2016.--Funds are hereby authorized to be 
appropriated for fiscal year 2016, to be available without fiscal year 
limitation if so provided in appropriations Acts, for the use of the 
Department of Transportation for Maritime Administration programs 
associated with maintaining national security aspects of the merchant 
marine, as follows:
            (1) For expenses necessary for operations of the United 
        States Merchant Marine Academy, $80,000,000, of which--
                    (A) $65,000,000 shall remain available until 
                expended for Academy operations; and
                    (B) $15,000,000 shall remain available until 
                expended for capital asset management at the Academy.
            (2) For expenses necessary to support the State maritime 
        academies, $22,200,000, of which--
                    (A) $2,300,000 shall remain available until 
                expended for student incentive payments;
                    (B) $2,400,000 shall remain available until 
                expended for direct payments to such academies;
                    (C) $15,000,000 shall remain available until 
                expended for maintenance and repair of State maritime 
                academy training vessels; and
                    (D) $2,500,000 shall remain available until 
                expended for a National Security Multi-Mission Vessel 
                Design Program.
            (3) For expenses necessary to support Maritime 
        Administration operations and programs, $50,400,000.
            (4) For expenses necessary to dispose of vessels in the 
        National Defense Reserve Fleet, $4,000,000 to remain available 
        until expended.
            (5) For expenses to maintain and preserve a United States-
        flag merchant marine to serve the national security needs of 
        the United States under chapter 531 of title 46, United States 
        Code, $186,000,000.
            (6) For administrative expenses of the loan guarantees 
        authorized by chapter 537 of title 46, United States Code, 
        $3,100,000 to remain available until expended.
    (b) Fiscal Year 2017.--Funds are hereby authorized to be 
appropriated for fiscal year 2017, to be available without fiscal year 
limitation if so provided in appropriations Acts, for the use of the 
Department of Transportation for Maritime Administration programs 
associated with maintaining national security aspects of the merchant 
marine, as follows:
            (1) For expenses necessary for operations of the United 
        States Merchant Marine Academy, $80,000,000, of which--
                    (A) $65,000,000 shall remain available until 
                expended for Academy operations; and
                    (B) $15,000,000 shall remain available until 
                expended for capital asset management at the Academy.
            (2) For expenses necessary to support the State maritime 
        academies, $22,200,000, of which--
                    (A) $2,300,000 shall remain available until 
                expended for student incentive payments;
                    (B) $2,400,000 shall remain available until 
                expended for direct payments to such academies;
                    (C) $15,000,000 shall remain available until 
                expended for maintenance and repair of State maritime 
                academy training vessels; and
                    (D) $2,500,000 shall remain available until 
                expended for a National Security Multi-Mission Vessel 
                Design Program.
            (3) For expenses necessary to support Maritime 
        Administration operations and programs, $50,400,000.
            (4) For expenses necessary to dispose of vessels in the 
        National Defense Reserve Fleet, $4,000,000 to remain available 
        until expended.
            (5) For expenses to maintain and preserve a United States-
        flag merchant marine to serve the national security needs of 
        the United States under chapter 531 of title 46, United States 
        Code, $186,000,000.
            (6) For administrative expenses of the loan guarantees 
        authorized by chapter 537 of title 46, United States Code, 
        $3,100,000 to remain available until expended.
                                 <all>